Winter warming braised chicken

Winter warming braised chicken

Miss Foodie just loves all things food and is here to tantilise your taste buds. Join her on her gastronomic adventures each Thursday.

The weather at the weekend was cold and overcast and I didn't much feel like venturing outside.

So in true Miss Foodie fashion I decided to cook!

I had a whole, organic chicken in the fridge; you of course think roast chicken instantly, but no, I wanted to do something different, well rather eat something different. I decided I would cut my chicken into 1/8 and drum up a nice braised dish of some kind.

I had witlof and leeks in the fridge so I did a bit of exploring to see what I could come up with using these ingredients.

I found a tempting recipe in my 'French Classics Made Easy' cookbook (A great French cookbook that simplifies and shortens traditional French cooking processes, I assure you it makes French cooking far less daunting).

I also came across an enticing tarragon chicken recipe on the homelife website. I had all but one of the ingredients for the homelife recipe so I opted to try this one out.

The tarragon infused flavours in this dish are so gorgeous! The braising liquid, garlic and herbs in which my chicken pieces bathed let off the most delectable smell throughout my house - I assure you I couldn't wait for my oven timer to go off so I could eat.

As previously said, for this recipe I used a whole, organic chicken which I cut into 1/8.

You of course could use chicken thighs, marylands or even drumsticks should you prefer.

The alluring French inspired flavour makes this meal a delight to feast on. Be sure to purchase a fresh spelt Vienna or sourdough loaf to accompany the meal as I guarantee you won't want to leave a single drop of liquid in your bowl.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until well browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Pour off excess fat from pan, leaving about 1 tbs.

Add leek and witlof to the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side or until light golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine, bay leaves and half the tarragon and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and return chicken to pan. Sprinkle with remaining tarragon. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.

Add the silverbeet to the pan, tucking in under chicken. Bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until chicken and silverbeet are cooked through. Serve chicken and vegetables in a large shallow bowl with some of the stock poured over and with slices of crusty bread.